The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission Board headed by Chief Mike Ogbodu, has fixed January 6, 2018 for the local government elections in all 27 council areas of the state. The Board Chairman disclosed this while outlining the comprehensive election time table in Asaba on Tuesday, October 3, 2017.
Chief Ogbodu said the election would be for the 25 chairmanship positions as well as for the councillorships in each of the wards in the state local government council areas.
He gave the complete outline of the time table as follows:
1. October 14th – 28th: conduct of party primaries by political parties.
November 1st: Collection of DSIEC 001 and 002 by political parties and commencement of electioneering campaigns.
2 .November 6th: Last day of return of particulars of candidates on form 001 and 002 by political parties with sworn affidavit by each candidate at the state High Court or Magistrate Court.
3. November 10: Last day of collection of personal particulars of each candidates/constituency where the candidate intended to contest.
4. November 11-17: Screening of candidates by the commission
November 17: Last day of withdrawals by candidates and substitution of candidates by political parties (if any)
5. November 20: publication of candidates duly nominated and collection of nomination forms DSIEC 005 and DSIEC 006 by the nominated candidates.
6. November 24: Last day for return of completed nomination forms DSIEC 005 and DSIEC 006 by candidates.
7. November 27: Publication of list of candidate and person nominating them.
8. December 18: Last day for submission of names of candidates’ polling Agent to the commission’s local government area office.
January 4: Last day for campaign January 6: Date of election January 20: Chairmanship or Councillorship run-off elections, if need be”.
However, the chairman assured stakeholders that DSIEC would remain unbiased and neutral in the discharge of its duties.